Circuit pattern inspection device, circuit pattern inspection method, and recording medium

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is an circuit-pattern inspection apparatus comprising a power supply element  30  adapted to be capacitively coupled with a parallel array of conductive patterns  20  to supply an inspection signal to one end of each of the conductible patterns, an open sensor  40  adapted to be capacitively coupled with all of the other ends of the conductive patterns to detect the inspection signal, and a short sensor  50  arranged at a position displaced from the power supply element  30  and adapted to be capacitively coupled with two lines of the conductive patterns to detect the inspection signal. The quality of the conductive pattern is inspected such that the presence of disconnection is determined when the detect signal from the open sensor  40  is largely reduced, and the presence of short is determined when the detect signal from the short sensor  50  largely rises and then falls. The circuit-pattern inspection apparatus can detect defects in a circuit board reliably and readily.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method forinspecting the quality of conductive patterns formed on a circuit board,particularly a parallel array of conductive patterns formed on a glasssubstrate. The present invention also relates to a recording mediumrecording therein a computer program for implementing such aninspection.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] In order to inspect the quality of conductive patterns formed ona circuit board, the presence of disconnection in the conductivepatterns has been checked by bringing a signal supply probe located onone of the sides of the circuit board into contact with one of the endsof the conducting pattern to be inspected (hereinafter referred to as“target conductive pattern”), supplying an inspection signal from thesignal supply probe to the target conductive pattern, and detecting theinspection signal from a sensor probe which is located on the other sideof the circuit board and in contact with the other end of the targetconductive pattern. In this case, if the sensor probe detects theinspection signal, it will be determined that the target conductivepattern is normal or in a conductive state. If not, it will bedetermined that the target conductive pattern is abnormal or in adisconnected (open) state.

[0003] In conjunction with the inspection on disconnection performed bysupplying an inspection signal from one end of the target conductivepattern and detecting the inspection signal from the other end of thetarget conductive pattern, the presence of short between the targetconductive pattern and the conductive pattern adjacent thereto has alsobeen checked by determining if the inspection signal is detected fromanother sensor probe in contact with the other side's end of theadjacent pattern.

[0004] In the above conventional technique, the direct contact betweenthe pattern and the probe causes the molecular transfer therebetweenand/or scratches on the pattern, which have an adverse affect on theperformance of the circuit board. Minute dusts also cause insufficientcontact between the probe and the pattern, which is likely to lead to adefective inspection result such that disconnection is erroneouslydetected even in a normal pattern.

[0005] Further, if the shape of the circuit board is distorted due totemperature variation, it will be extremely difficult to perform anadequate probing operation, resulting in occurrence of detection errors.

[0006] Furthermore, in the conventional technique, the short betweenadjacent conductive patterns can be checked only if an inspection signalis supplied to only a specific conductive pattern while arranging thesensor probes in their predetermined positions. This leads to complexityin structure and inspection process.

[0007] In view of the above problems, it is therefore an object of thepresent invention to provide a circuit-pattern inspection apparatus andmethod capable of reliably inspecting a parallel array of conductivepatterns in a simple structure and inspection process while minimizingconstraining factors in supplying an inspection signal to the conductivepatterns.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, according to the presentinvention, there is provided an apparatus for inspecting a parallelarray of conductive patterns formed on a board, comprisinginspection-signal supply means for supplying an inspection signal to oneof the ends of selected one of the conductive patterns, first detectionmeans for detecting the inspection signal from the other end of theselected conductive pattern, second detection means for detecting theinspection signal from at least two of the adjacent conductive patternsdifferent from the selected conductive pattern, and determination meansfor determining the state of the selected conductive pattern inaccordance with variations in first and second inspection signalsdetected, respectively, from the first and second detection means.

[0009] In this apparatus, the board may be primarily made of glass, andeach of the conductive patterns may have a strip-shape having a givenwidth. In this case, the strip-shaped conductive patterns may be formedon the surface of the glass substrate at given intervals.

[0010] The second detection means may be adapted to detect theinspection signal from at least two of the conductive patterns adjacentto the selected conductive pattern.

[0011] The inspection-signal supply means may be adapted to supply theinspection signal to all of the conductive patterns individually fromones of the ends thereof.

[0012] The present invention also provides an apparatus for inspecting aparallel array of conductive patterns formed on a board, comprising,inspection-signal supply means for supplying an inspection signal to oneof the ends of selected one of the conductive patterns, first detectionmeans for detecting the inspection signal from the other end of theselected conductive pattern, second detection means for detecting theinspection signal from at least two of the conductive patterns adjacentto the selected conductive pattern, moving means for moving the firstand/or second detection means relative to the conductive patterns toallow the first and/or second detection means to sequentially scan theconductive patterns, and determination means for determining the stateof the conductive patterns in accordance with variations in first andsecond inspection signals detected, respectively, from the first andsecond detection means in conjunction with the relative movementaccording to the moving means.

[0013] In this apparatus, each of the first and second detection meansmay include a plate adapted to be located at a position opposed to andspaced apart from the parallel array of conductive patterns and to becapacitively coupled with the parallel array of conductive patterns in anon-contact manner so as to detect the inspection signal.

[0014] The inspection signal may be an AC signal. In this case, theinspection signal supply means may include a plate having a width lessthan the width of the conductive pattern and the interval between theadjacent conductive patterns, the plate being adapted to be located at aposition opposed to and spaced apart from the selected conductivepattern and to be capacitively coupled with the selected conductivepattern in a non-contact manner so as to supply the AC signal to theselected conductive pattern.

[0015] The determination means may be adapted to determine the presenceof short in the selected conductive pattern primarily in accordance witha detected signal from the first detection means, and the presence ofdisconnection in the selected conductive pattern primarily in accordancewith a detected signal from the second detection means.

[0016] Further, the present invention provides a method for inspecting aparallel array of conductive patterns formed on a board, comprising:supplying an inspection signal to one of the ends of selected one of theconductive patterns; detecting a first inspection signal from the otherend of the selected conductive pattern, and detecting a secondinspection signal from at least two of the adjacent conductive patternsdifferent from the selected conductive pattern; and determining thestate of the selected conductive pattern in accordance with variationsin the first and second inspection signals detected, respectively, fromthe first and second detection means.

[0017] Furthermore, the present invention provides a method forinspecting a parallel array of conductive patterns formed on a board,comprising: supplying an inspection signal to one of the ends ofselected one of the conductive patterns; detecting a first inspectionsignal from the other end of the selected conductive pattern, anddetecting a second inspection signal from at least two of the conductivepatterns adjacent to the selected conductive pattern; and sequentiallyscanning the conductive patterns while changing the position fordetecting the first and second inspection signals to determine the stateof the conductive patterns in accordance with variations in the firstand second inspection signals in conjunction with the change in thecanning position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0018]FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram an inspection principle in acircuit-pattern inspection apparatus according to one embodiment of thepresent invention.

[0019]FIG. 2 is an explanatory flowchart of an inspection process usingthe circuit-pattern inspection apparatus according to the embodiment.

[0020]FIG. 3 is a graph showing one example of the result of inspectionusing the circuit-pattern inspection apparatus according the embodiment.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0021] With reference to the drawings, one embodiment of the presentinvention will now be described in detail. The following descriptionwill be made in conjunction with a circuit-pattern inspection apparatusfor inspecting the state of a parallel array of conductive patternsformed on a circuit board, specifically a conductive-pattern inspectionapparatus for inspecting the quality of a parallel array of conductivepatterns formed on a back board before attached to a front board in aliquid-crystal display panel or a touch panel, by way of example.

[0022] However, the present invention is not limited to inspection ofthe conductive patterns as in the after-mentioned embodiment, but can beapplied to inspection of any other conductive patterns arranged in anelectrically isolated manner without any connection to the commonpattern. Further, the present invention can be applied to inspection ofconductive patterns arranged apart from each other at a distance orinterval greater than the width of an after-mentioned power supplyelement 30, even if each of the adjacent conductive patterns has adifferent interval. That is, the dimension or shape of the power supplyelement 30 can be appropriately designed to allow the present inventionto be applied to inspection of various conductive patterns arranged atany intervals.

[0023]FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram an inspection principle in thecircuit-pattern inspection apparatus according to this embodiment.

[0024] In FIG. 1, the reference numeral 10 indicates a board having aparallel array of strip-shaped conductive patterns 20 to be inspected bythe circuit-pattern inspection apparatus according to this embodiment.In the illustrated embodiment, the board is a glass board for use in aliquid-crystal panel or the like.

[0025] The strip-shaped conductive patterns 20 are formed on the surfaceof the glass board 10 to extend in the lateral direction (verticaldirection in FIG. 1) of the glass board 10. As shown in FIG. 1, theadjacent conductive patterns are originally designed to have both endsindependent to each other and to be electrically isolated from eachother in their entireties.

[0026] However, the circuit-pattern inspection apparatus according tothis embodiment is not limited to the application to inspection of suchconductive patterns, but can inspect the quality of conductive patternshaving the connection to the common pattern (comb-shaped pattern) inwhich a parallel array of conductive patterns have one ends connectedwith each other at a position opposed to an after-mentioned open sensor40. In other words, the circuit-pattern inspection apparatus accordingto this embodiment has one feature in that it can also inspect theconductive patterns have no connection to the common pattern.

[0027] The conductive patterns 20 are arranged in approximately parallelwith each other, and the respective ends of the adjacent conductivepatterns are separated or electrically isolated from each other. Whilethe conductive patterns in FIG. 1 are arranged at approximately evenintervals in their entireties, ones of the ends thereof may be connectedwith each other as described above. Further, the intervals between theadjacent conductive patterns may be uneven, for example, the intervalsbetween the adjacent conductive patterns may be different from eachother, or each of the conductive patterns may have a different width.Even in these cases, the circuit-pattern inspection apparatus accordingto this embodiment can inspect the quality of such conductive patternsin accordance of the degree of the variation in detect level of aninspection signal, without any difficulties.

[0028] The reference numeral 30 indicates a power supply element formedas a flat plate having a width less than that of the conductive pattern20 and the interval between the adjacent conductive patterns 20. Thepower supply element 30 is located at a position apart from theconductive patterns 20 by a given distance to supply an AC signal with agiven frequency to the linear conductor patterns individually in anon-contact manner.

[0029] The power supply element 30 is connected with aninspection-signal generator 110 for generating an AC signal with a givenfrequency and outputting the AC signal to the power supply element 30.

[0030] The reference numeral 40 indicates an open sensor serving asfirst detection means for detecting whether each of the conductivepatterns to be inspected, or each target conductive pattern, is in anopen state (disconnected state). The open sensor 40 is formed as anelongated flat plate extending in the width direction (horizontaldirection in FIG. 1) of the array of the conductive patterns and havinga length to cover the entire width of the array of the conductivepatterns. The open sensor 40 is located at a position apart from theconductive patterns 20 by a given distance to detect the inspectionsignal (AC signal with the given frequency) supplied to the targetconductive pattern from the power supply element 30 through thecapacitive coupling therebetween in a non-contact manner.

[0031] The reference numeral 50 indicates a short sensor serving assecond detection means for detecting the presence of short between theadjacent conductive patterns. The short sensor 50 is formed to have awidth approximately equal to the distance of two lines of the conductivepatterns wherein the distance of one line is the sum of the width of oneconductive pattern and one interval, and located at a position which isdisplaced from the power supply element 30 slightly in the direction ofthe open sensor 40, and approximately by the distance of one line in thewidth direction of the array of the conductive patterns 20.

[0032] The respective detect signals from the open sensor 40 and theshort sensor 40 are introduced into a sensor output processing circuit120. The sensor output processing circuit 120 is operable to amplifyeach of the detect signals at a given level and analyze the degree ofvariation in each of the detect levels. In the analysis, if the detectlevel for one of the conductive patterns is higher than that for others,the conductive pattern will be determined as defective.

[0033] That is, in this embodiment, the open sensor 40 is arranged suchthat it is capacitively coupled with all of the conductive patterns atthe other ends thereof to detect an inspection signal (AC signal)flowing through any of the conductive patterns, in the form of thevariation in detect level.

[0034] In an inspection operation, the deviation in detect level fromthe open sensor 40 is analyzed while shifting the power supply element30 relative to the array of the conductive patterns in a directionindicated by the arrow in FIG. 1. More specifically, when the powersupply element 30 is moved at a position opposed to one of theconductive patterns 20, or a target conductive pattern, it can supply tothe target conductive pattern an inspection signal proportional to anopposed area between the plate of the power supply element 30 and thetarget conductive pattern. If the target conductive pattern has nodisconnection, the supplied inspection signal will be detected by theopen sensor 40. Then, when the power supply element 30 is moved at aposition between the target conductive pattern and the conductivepattern adjacent thereto, only a very low level of inspection signal issupplied to the target conductive pattern, and the output of the opensensor 40 is reduced.

[0035] At the position opposed to the target conductive pattern, if thetarget conductive pattern has a disconnected portion, as indicated by Ain FIG. 1, the supplied inspection signal does not flow beyond thedisconnected portion, and thus the detect level from the open sensor 40will be reduced. Thus, when the output of the open sensor is largelyreduced, it can be determined that the target conductive patterncorresponding to the output is in an open (disconnected) state.

[0036] In case where the target conductive pattern is short-circuited tothe adjacent conductive pattern, or in a short state, as indicated by Bin FIG. 1, even if the inspection signal supplied to the targetconductive pattern also flows to the adjacent pattern, it will arrive atthe open sensor 40 through the target conductive pattern. Thus, whilethe detect level is likely to be slightly reduced, it is maintainedsubstantially at a normal level. Therefore, it is difficult to detectboth disconnection and short in the conductive patterns with highreliability only by using the open sensor 40.

[0037] From this point of view, the circuit-pattern inspection apparatusaccording to this embodiment is provided with the short sensor 50 whichis located at a position displaced from the power supply element 30 andformed to have a width approximately equal to the distance of two linesof the linear conducting lines. The width of the short sensor 50 is notlimited to the distance of two lines, but may be designed to be adistance of three or more lines.

[0038] The short sensor 50 is fixed, for example, to a sensor panel, insuch a manner that the edge of the short sensor 50 on the upstream siderelative to the moving direction (that is opposite direction of thearrow in FIG. 1) of the glass board 10 is located at a positiondisplaced from the power supply element 30 by the distance of one linesin the width direction of the array of the conductive pattern. Asdescribed later, the short sensor 50 is likely to detect an inspectionsignal through the open sensor 40. Thus, it is desired that the shortsensor 50 is located as far as possible from the open sensor 40 or at aposition close to the power supply element 30.

[0039] In this embodiment including the short sensor 50 constructed asin FIG. 1, when an inspection signal supplied to one of the ends of theconductive pattern 20 to be inspected, or a target conductive pattern,flows toward the other end of the target conductive pattern and arrivesat the open sensor 40 if it is in a normal state. Since the open sensor40 is capacitively coupled with all of the conductive patterns, theinspection signal partly flows to the conductive patterns adjacent tothe target conductive pattern through the open sensor 40.

[0040] Then, the inspection signal partially arrives at the short sensor50 through the adjacent conductive patterns, and the short sensor 50sends a detect signal to the sensor output processing circuit 120. Thus,when the target conductive pattern is in a normal state, the inspectionsignal supplied from the power supply element 30 to the targetconductive pattern is not directly but indirectly by the short sensor50.

[0041] Even if a part of the conductive patterns opposed to the shortsensor 50 is in a disconnected state, the detect level of the shortsensor 50 will not be significantly changed because the inspectionsignal is supplied through the remaining normal conductive pattern.

[0042] If the conductive pattern supplied with an inspection signal fromthe power supply element 30, or a target conductive pattern, isshort-circuited to the adjacent conductive pattern on the downstreamside relative to the moving direction of the glass board 10 (B in FIG.1), the inspection signal from the power supply element 30 will also besupplied to the adjacent conductive pattern through the short-circuitedportion.

[0043] In this case, the short sensor 50 electrically connected directlywith the target detects the inspection signal at a higher level thanthat in the normal state when the inspection signal is supplied throughthe open sensor 4. Thus, as shown in the bottom of FIG. 1, the detectlevel is largely increased. Then, when the short sensor 50 is movedbeyond the short-circuited conductive patterns, and only the powersupply element 30 is opposed to the upstream short-circuited conductivepattern, the detect level is reversely reduced, because an inspectionsignal from the power supply element 30 to the upstream short-circuitedconductive pattern also flows to the downstream short-circuitedconductive pattern.

[0044] Therefore, the arrangement of the open sensor 40 and the shortsensor 50 as shown in FIG. 1 allows both disconnection and short in aparallel array of conductive patterns to be detected in a simplestructure.

[0045] One example of the detect signal of the open sensor 40 is shownin the bottom of FIG. 1. In a normal state, the open sensor 40 outputs adetect signal proportional to an opposed area between the power supplyelement 30 and one of the conductive patterns 20 or a target conductivepattern. If the target conductive pattern is in an open state(disconnected state), the inspection signal from the power supplyelement 30 will be insufficiently detected, and the level of a detectsignal corresponding to the target conductive pattern in the open statewill have a lower level. Such a detect signal is indicated by A in FIG.1.

[0046] Even if the target conductive pattern is short-circuited asindicated by B in FIG. 1, the energy of the inspection signal arrivingat the open sensor 40 will not be significantly changed.

[0047] In the short sensor 50 provided in this embodiment, the detectlevel of the short sensor 50 is not significantly changed when thetarget conductive pattern is in a disconnected state. In contrast, ifthe target conductive pattern is in a short state, the short sensor 50can detect the short state in the form of the variation in detect levelsuch that it initially rises and then falls.

[0048] With reference to the flowchart in FIG. 2, an inspection processusing the circuit-pattern inspection apparatus according to the aboveembodiment will be described below.

[0049] In the following description, the inspection is directed to aparallel array of conductive patterns made of a conductive material(e.g. gold, copper, aluminum or ITO) and formed on the surface of aglass board, as shown in FIG. 1, by way of example. In Step S1, theglass board formed with the conductive patterns is transferred along atransfer line (not shown) to a location of the circuit-patterninspection apparatus (workstation for inspection).

[0050] In Step S2, the board transferred to the workstation is held by ajig or a stage for mounting the board (not shown).

[0051] The jig is constructed such that it can be 3-dimensionallypositioned in accordance with a 4-axis control of X Y Z and angle θ.According to the jig, the board is located at a position apart from asensor panel by a given distance. For example, in FIG. 1, the powersupply element 30 is located at a position opposed to the left edge ofleftmost one of the conductive patterns 20.

[0052] After the positioning of the board is completed as above, the ACsignal generator 110 is controlled to feed an AC signal (inspectionsignal) with a given frequency to the power supply element 30, in StepS3.

[0053] Then, in Step S5, the board is moved such that the power supplyelement 30 is shifted from the position opposed to the leftmostconductive pattern to respective positions opposed to the remainingconductive patterns, in turn in the arrow direction in FIG. 1.Simultaneously, in Step S6, the sensor output processing circuit 120 isoperable to amplify detect signals from the open sensor 40 and the shortsensor 50 up to a given signal level though an amplifier circuit, detectthe respective outputs of the open sensor 40 and the short sensor 50 ina time division manner through a multiplexer circuit or the like,convert the time-divided signal into a digital signal, and store thedigital signal in an internal memory (not shown).

[0054] Then, in Step S7, it is checked whether the board is moved at adistance equal to the entire width of the array of the conductivepatterns. If the moving distance of the board is less than the entirearray width, the process will return to Step S5, and the inspection willcontinue.

[0055] When the moving distance of the board becomes equal to the entirearray width in Step S7, the process will advance to Step S8. In Step S8,the detect signals from the open sensor 40 and the short sensor 50 isanalyzed by checking the variation in level thereof.

[0056] Then, in Step S9, it is checked whether all of the analyzedlevels of the detect signals corresponding to the respective conductivepatterns fall within a given range. For example, when all of the levelsof the detect signals fall within the given range, all of the conductivepatterns on the board is determined as normal, and the process iscompleted. Then, after the board is moved downward to a transferposition, it is placed on the transfer line, and transferred to asubsequent station. If the inspection is continuously performed, theprocess will be re-started from Step S2 when a new board is transferredto the workstation.

[0057] If, in Step S9, the detected signals include a level beyond thegiven range, for example, the large variation in detect level asindicated by A or B in FIG. 1, the process will advance to Step S11. InStep S11, the board is determined as defective, and the process iscompleted. After the board is moved downward to a transfer position, theboard is placed on the transfer line to transfer it to a subsequentstation or took out of the transfer line.

[0058] According to the above inspection process, even if the conductivepatterns have ends separated or electrically isolated from each other,the detect level of the open sensor 40 is distinctively reduced when oneof the conductive patterns is in a disconnected (open) state. Further,when one of the conductive patterns is in a short-circuited (short)state, the detect level of the open sensor 40 initially rises and thenfalls. Thus, the quality of the conductive patterns can be recognizedwithout any difficulties.

[0059]FIG. 3 shows one example of the result of actual inspection of theabove conducting patterns using the circuit-pattern inspection apparatusaccording to the above embodiment.

[0060] In FIG. 3, an upper curve is a detect signal from the open sensor40, and a lower curve is a detect signal from the short sensor 50.

[0061] In FIG. 3, the range indicated by A shows the detection curve ofthe conductive pattern in a disconnected (open) state, and the rangeindicated by B shows the detection curve of the conductive pattern in ashort-circuited (short) state. Both the detection curves of thedefective conductive patterns are significantly different from those ofthe normal conductive patterns, so that the defective conductivepatterns can be distinctively recognized without any difficulties.

[0062] If some noise is mixed with the detect signals from the sensors,both the detection curves of the sensors will simultaneously have alarge variation in most cases. This case can be clearly distinguishedfrom the above inspection result in which one of the detection curves islargely changed.

[0063] While the board in the above description is formed with only oneof the parallel array of conductive patterns as shown in FIG. 1, a boardmay be formed with a plural number of the pattern arrays, and dividedinto a plurality of boards in a subsequent production process. In aninspection for such a board, a set of the power supply element and theopen/short sensors is preferably provided to each of the pattern arrays.The sensor output processing circuit 120 can be used for all of thepattern arrays in common by processing respective detect signals fromthe sensors in a time division manner.

[0064] For example, a plural number of the pattern arrays are formed ona single board, several arrays may be arranged lengthwise and crosswise.It is understood that the present invention is not limited to inspectionof the parallel array of conductive patterns arranged as shown in FIG.1, but may be applied to a large panel formed with a number of thepattern arrays in a matrix arrangement.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0065] As mentioned above, according to the present invention, defectsin conductive patterns can be reliably detected.

[0066] In addition, the state or factor of the defect can be readilyrecognized in accordance with two detect signals from open and shortsensors. Even if the two detect signals include noises, such noises canbe readily distinguished by comparing the two detect signals.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for inspecting a parallel array of conductive patterns formed on a board, comprising: inspection-signal supply means for supplying an inspection signal to one of the ends of selected one of said conductive patterns; first detection means for detecting said inspection signal from the other end of said selected conductive pattern; second detection means for detecting said inspection signal from at least two of the adjacent conductive patterns different from said selected conductive pattern; and determination means for determining the state of said selected conductive pattern in accordance with variations in first and second inspection signals detected, respectively, from said first and second detection means.
 2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said board is primarily made of glass, and each of said conductive patterns has a strip-shape having a given width, wherein said strip-shaped conductive patterns are formed on the surface of said glass substrate at given intervals.
 3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said second detection means is adapted to detect said inspection signal from at least two of the conductive patterns adjacent to said selected conductive pattern.
 4. The apparatus as defined in either one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said inspection-signal supply means are adapted to supply the inspection signal to all of said conductive patterns individually from ones of the ends thereof.
 5. An apparatus for inspecting a parallel array of conductive patterns formed on a board, comprising: inspection-signal supply means for supplying an inspection signal to one of the ends of selected one of said conductive patterns; first detection means for detecting said inspection signal from the other end of said selected conductive pattern; second detection means for detecting said inspection signal from at least two of the conductive patterns adjacent to said selected conductive pattern; moving means for moving said first and/or second detection means relative to said conductive patterns to allow said first and/or second detection means to sequentially scan said conductive patterns; and determination means for determining the state of said conductive patterns in accordance with variations in first and second inspection signals detected, respectively, from said first and second detection means in conjunction with said relative movement according to said moving means.
 6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 or 5, wherein each of said first and second detection means includes a plate adapted to be located at a position opposed to and spaced apart from said parallel array of conductive patterns and to be capacitively coupled with said parallel array of conductive patterns in a non-contact manner so as to detect said inspection signal.
 7. The apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said inspection signal is an AC signal, wherein said inspection signal supply means includes a plate having a width less than the width of said conductive pattern and the interval between the adjacent conductive patterns, said plate being adapted to be located at a position opposed to and spaced apart from said selected conductive pattern and to be capacitively coupled with said selected conductive pattern in a non-contact manner so as to supply said AC signal to said selected conductive pattern.
 8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said determination means is adapted to determine the presence of short in said selected conductive pattern primarily in accordance with a detected signal from said first detection means, and the presence of disconnection in said selected conductive pattern primarily in accordance with a detected signal from said second detection means.
 9. A method for inspecting a parallel array of conductive patterns formed on a board, comprising: supplying an inspection signal to one of the ends of selected one of said conductive patterns; detecting a first inspection signal from the other end of said selected conductive pattern, and detecting a second inspection signal from at least two of the adjacent conductive patterns different from said selected conductive pattern; and determining the state of said selected conductive pattern in accordance with variations in said first and second inspection signals detected, respectively, from said first and second detection means.
 10. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein said board is primarily made of glass, and each of said conductive patterns has a strip-shape having a given width, wherein said strip-shaped conductive patterns are formed on the surface of said glass substrate at given intervals.
 11. The apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said second inspection signal is detected from at least two of the conductive patterns adjacent to said selected conductive pattern.
 12. The apparatus as defined in either one of claims 9 to 11, wherein said inspection signal is supplied to all of said conductive patterns individually from ones of the ends thereof.
 13. A method for inspecting a parallel array of conductive patterns formed on a board, comprising: supplying an inspection signal to one of the ends of selected one of said conductive patterns; detecting a first inspection signal from the other end of said selected conductive pattern, and detecting a second inspection signal from at least two of the conductive patterns adjacent to said selected conductive pattern; and sequentially scanning said conductive patterns while changing the position for detecting said first and/or second inspection signals to determine the state of said conductive patterns in accordance with variations in said first and/or second inspection signals in conjunction with the change in said canning position.
 14. The method as defined in claim 9 or 13, wherein each of said first and second inspection signals is detected through a plate located at a position opposed to and spaced apart from said parallel array of conductive patterns and capacitively coupled with said parallel array of conductive patterns in a non-contact manner.
 15. The method as defined in claim 14, wherein said inspection signal is an AC signal, wherein said AC signal is supplied to said selected conductive pattern through a plate having a width less than the width of said conductive pattern and the interval between the adjacent conductive patterns, said plate being located at a position opposed to and spaced apart from said selected conductive pattern and capacitively coupled with said selected conductive pattern in a non-contact manner.
 16. The method as defined in either one of claim 15, wherein the presence of short in said selected conductive pattern is determined primarily in accordance with said first inspection signal detected from said first detection means, and the presence of disconnection in said selected conductive pattern is determined primarily in accordance with said second inspection signal detected from said second detection means.
 17. A recording medium recording therein a computer program for achieving the method as defined in claim 9 or 13 under computer control.
 18. A computer program sequence for achieving the method as defined in claim 9 or 13 under computer control. 